RAS gene polymorphisms, classical risk factors and the advent of coronary artery disease in the Portuguese population

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Several polymorphisms within the renin-angiotensin system cluster of genes have been associated with the advent of coronary artery disease (CAD) or related pathologies. We investigated the distribution of 5 of these polymorphisms in order to find any association with CAD development and distinguish if any of the biochemical and behavioural factors interact with genetic polymorphisms in the advent of the disease.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p><it>ACE </it>I/D (rs4340), <it>ACE </it>A11860G (rs4343), <it>AT1R </it>A1166C (rs5186), <it>AGT </it>T174M (rs4762) and <it>AGT </it>M235T (rs699) gene polymorphisms were PCR-RFLP analysed in 298 CAD patients and 510 controls from Portugal. Several biochemical and behavioural markers were obtained.</p> <p>Results</p> <p><it>ACE </it>I/D DD and <it>ACE</it>11860 GG genotypes are risk factors for CAD in this population. The simultaneous presence of <it>ACE </it>I/D I and <it>ACE</it>11860 A alleles corresponds to a significant trend towards a decrease in CAD incidence. We found several synergistic effects between the studied polymorphisms and classical risk factors such as hypertension, obesity, diabetes and dyslipidaemia: the presence of the DD genotype of <it>ACE </it>I/D (and also <it>ACE</it>11860 GG) increases the odds of developing CAD when associated to each one of these classical risk factors, particularly when considering the male and early onset CAD subgroup analysis; <it>AGT</it>235 TT also increases the CAD risk in the presence of hypertension and dyslipidaemia, and <it>AT1R</it>1166 interacts positively with hypertension, smoking and obesity.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p><it>ACE </it>polymorphisms were shown to play a major role in individual susceptibility to develop CAD. There is also a clear interaction between RAS predisposing genes and some biochemical/environmental risk factors in CAD onset, demonstrating a significant enhancement of classical markers particularly by <it>ACE </it>I/D and <it>ACE</it>11860.</p

The SUCIMA project: A status report on high granularity dosimetry and proton beam monitoring

The SUCIMA collaboration has been developing instruments and methods for real-time, high granularity imaging of extended electron sources. In particular, dosimetry of intravascular brachytherapy beta sources has been intensively studied, together with monitoring of hadrontherapy beams by imaging of secondary electrons emitted by a non-disruptive target. The paper reports the latest results oil absolute dosimetry with a large-area silicon strip detectors and on beam monitoring with a hybrid pad sensor

Age-related standards for total lymphocyte, CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cell counts in children born in Europe

Objective: Currently used reference values for immunologic markers in children are largely derived from cross-sectional data from historic, small sample size studies in predominantly white children. There is a lack of reliable age-related standards for immunologic markers, such as CD4(+) cell counts, in particular in black children whose values according to recent reports may differ from those in white children. Standards are essential for diagnosing and monitoring childhood diseases such as pediatric human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Design: Prospective cohort study with data on 1781 uninfected children born to HIV-infected mothers in the European Collaborative Study. Methods: Age-related standards (centiles) for immunologic markers (CD4(+) and CD8(+) cell counts and total lymphocyte counts) up to 5 years in black and up to 10 years in white children were constructed using Generalized Additive Models for Location, Scale and Shape method, which allows for variability and skewness of the data. The optimal model was chosen according to the Akaike Information Criterion. Results: Patterns and values of total lymphocyte, CD4(+) and CD8(+) cell counts varied with age, especially in the first 3 years of life, but less so thereafter. Values of all 3 immunologic markers were substantially and significantly lower in black than in white children of the same age. Conclusions: We present age-related standards separately for black and white children to aid clinicians in the monitoring of childhood diseases. These standards may also contribute to the decision on an accurate cutoff for CD4(+) cell counts for initiating treatment of HIV-infected childre

Silicon ultra fast cameras for electron and gamma sources in medical applications: a progress report

SUCIMA (Silicon Ultra fast Cameras for electron and gamma sources In Medical Applications) is a project approved by the European Commission within the Fifth Framework Programme, with the primary goal of developing a real time dosimeter based on direct detection of ionising particles in a position sensitive Silicon sensor. The main applications of this device are imaging of intravascular brachytherapy radioactive sources with-activities up to 3 GBq and real time monitoring of hadrontherapy beams. In order to perform a feasibility study, during the first two years a real time dosimeter has been engineered using Silicon microstrip detectors read out by an integrating dead-timeless front-end electronics. The prototypes have been qualified as relative dosimeter with respect to certified secondary standards; moreover, further measurements are on going in order to investigate the possibility to use the sensors as absolute dosimeters. Since the final device is supposed to provide a two dimensional image, two different Monolithic Active Pixel dosimeters have been designed and produced by the collaboration based on CMOS and Silicon On Insulator technologies. The main features of the two sensors are presented in this paper

The SUCIMA project: A status report on high granularity dosimetry and proton beam monitoring

LEPSIThe SUCIMA collaboration has been developing instruments and methods for real-time, high granularity imaging of extended electron sources. In particular, dosimetry of intravascular brachytherapy β sources has been intensively studied, together with monitoring of hadrontherapy beams by imaging of secondary electrons emitted by a non-disruptive target. The paper reports the latest results on absolute dosimetry with a large-area silicon strip detectors and on beam monitoring with a hybrid pad sensor

Silicon Ultra fast Cameras for electron andγ\gamma sources In Medical Applications: a progress report

LEPSISUCIMA (Silicon Ultra fast Cameras for electron and γ sources In Medical Applications) is a project approved by the European Commission within the Fifth Framework Programme, with the primary goal of developing a real time dosimeter based on direct detection of ionising particles in a position sensitive Silicon sensor. The main applications of this device are imaging of intravascular brachytherapy radioactive sources with activities up to 3 GBq and real time monitoring of hadrontherapy beams. In order to perform a feasibility study, during the first two years a real time dosimeter has been engineered using Silicon microstrip detectors read out by an integrating dead-timeless front-end electronics. The prototypes have been qualified as relative dosimeter with respect to certified secondary standards; moreover, further measurements are on going in order to investigate the possibility to use the sensors as absolute dosimeters. Since the final device is supposed to provide a two dimensional image, two different Monolithic Active Pixel dosimeters have been designed and produced by the collaboration based on CMOS and Silicon On Insulator technologies. The main features of the two sensors are presented in this paper